Hoarding Cleanup: What Families Need to Know Before Hiring Help

Discovering that a loved one has been living in hoarding conditions is overwhelming. Whether you found out after a death, during a welfare check, or because the situation finally became impossible to ignore, the cleanup ahead feels massive — and it is. But it's also manageable when you approach it with the right plan and the right people.

I've cleaned these homes. Dozens of them. Here's what I wish every family knew before they started.

Why Hoarding Cleanup Isn't Just "Throwing Stuff Away"

The biggest mistake families make is treating a hoarding cleanup like a weekend decluttering project. It's not. Hoarding environments often involve:

• Biohazard materials — animal waste, human waste, rotting food, mold colonies growing behind mountains of stuff
• Structural damage — floors weakened by weight and moisture, walls damaged by pest infestations
• Pest infestations — roaches, rodents, and sometimes worse. I've walked into homes where the rat population outnumbered the items on the floor.
• Hidden valuables — cash stuffed in books, jewelry mixed into junk drawers, important documents buried in piles. People who hoard often hide things they value most inside the chaos.
• Emotional landmines — every item has a story. If the person is still alive, throwing things away without process can cause severe psychological distress.

This is why professional hoarding cleanup companies exist. Not because you can't rent a dumpster — because you shouldn't just start throwing.

Levels of Hoarding: What You're Actually Dealing With

The Institute for Challenging Disorganization uses a 5-level scale. Knowing where your situation falls helps you hire the right help.

Level 1 — Light Clutter

All doors and stairways accessible. No odor issues. Minor housekeeping problems. You can probably handle this yourself with some help from friends and a rented dumpster.

Level 2 — Noticeable Clutter

One blocked exit. Minor odor. Some pet issues. Garbage not taken out regularly. A professional organizer might be enough — you don't necessarily need a cleanup crew.

Level 3 — Significant Clutter

One room completely unusable. Visible mold or pest evidence. Structural concerns starting. This is where professional cleanup crews become necessary. The health risks are real.

Level 4 — Severe Hoarding

Structural damage present. Rotting food. Mold throughout. Animal waste. Limited functioning utilities. You need a licensed biohazard crew, not just a junk removal service.

Level 5 — Extreme/Uninhabitable

No running water or electricity. Human waste present. Severe structural damage. Fire hazard. This may require coordination with local health authorities before cleanup can even begin.

How to Find a Legitimate Hoarding Cleanup Company

Not every junk removal company is equipped for hoarding situations. Here's what to look for:

Must-Haves

• Biohazard certification — ABRA (American Bio Recovery Association) or equivalent
• OSHA compliance — workers need proper PPE for these environments
• Insurance — general liability AND pollution liability. Regular contractor insurance doesn't cover biohazard incidents.
• Compassion training — if the person who hoards is still living, the crew needs to understand the psychology. A crew that just throws everything into a dumpster will traumatize your family member.

Red Flags

• They quote a price without seeing the property
• They don't ask about biohazard conditions
• They plan to just "empty the house" without sorting
• No insurance documentation when asked
• They want full payment upfront

Where to Look

• Your local biohazard cleanup directory — we vet companies for exactly these situations
• ABRA's member directory
• Your county health department may have a list of approved vendors
• Never hire off Craigslist for a Level 3+ situation

What Does Hoarding Cleanup Cost?

Costs vary enormously based on the level, square footage, and specific hazards present.

These aren't scare numbers — they're reality. A Level 4 hoard in a 2,000 sq ft home typically runs $20,000-$30,000 when you factor in biohazard remediation, pest treatment, junk removal, and structural assessment.

Does Insurance Cover Hoarding Cleanup?

Usually not directly. Standard homeowner's insurance doesn't cover hoarding cleanup because it's considered a maintenance issue, not a sudden event.

However, there are exceptions:

• If a fire, flood, or other covered event damaged the hoarded property, insurance covers the event damage (and the cleanup may overlap)
• If you're cleaning up after a death in the home, some policies cover biohazard remediation
• Renter's insurance sometimes covers tenant damage if you're the landlord
• Read our full insurance guide for more details

The Emotional Side: Protecting Your Family Member

If the person who hoards is still alive, the cleanup process needs to involve them — or it will fail. Studies show that cleanups done without the person's participation have a 100% relapse rate within 2-3 years.

What Works

• Involve a therapist who specializes in hoarding disorder. Start therapy BEFORE the cleanup if possible.
• Let them make decisions about categories of items, even if it's slow. Their sense of control matters.
• Sort before you toss — create keep, donate, and discard categories. Let them participate in the sorting.
• Take photos of items they're letting go. Sometimes having a photo is enough to ease the grief of releasing an object.
• Go room by room — don't try to do the whole house at once. Small wins build momentum.

What Doesn't Work

• Surprise cleanouts while they're away
• Ultimatums (—clean up or I'm calling the city")
• Shaming, arguing about the value of items, or saying "it's just stuff"
• Comparing their home to a "normal" home

After a Death: Cleaning a Hoarder's Estate

When the person has passed away, the emotional dynamics are different but still complex. Surviving family members often feel guilt, anger, sadness, and overwhelm simultaneously.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Secure the property — change locks if needed, notify neighbors you'll be working on it
2. Document everything — photograph every room before touching anything. This is important for insurance, estate purposes, and your own closure.
3. Get a professional assessment — before deciding to DIY, have a cleanup company walk through and give you an honest assessment of what you're dealing with
4. Search for valuables first — professionals know where to look. Cash in coffee cans, jewelry in sock drawers, important documents in random piles.
5. Handle biohazards properly — if there's human/animal waste, mold, or rotting food, bring in certified crews. Your health is not worth saving money.
6. Coordinate with the estate attorney — some items may need to be preserved for probate. Read our estate attorney guide

When to Get Professional Help

Call a professional if:

• You see or smell evidence of animal/human waste
• There's visible mold on walls, floors, or items
• The floor feels soft or bouncy (structural damage)
• You see active pest infestations
• The home has been without utilities for an extended period
• Anyone in your family has respiratory issues — you should NOT be in that environment without proper protection

You can start yourself if:

• The situation is Level 1-2 with no biohazard issues
• The home is structurally sound
• You have help and proper supplies (N95 masks, gloves, contractor bags)
• The person who hoards is involved and willing

Every guide on WhenItHappens is written by someone with hands-on experience in disaster recovery and biohazard remediation. We don't write from textbooks — we write from the homes we've been in. Find a vetted cleanup specialist in your area.